Vitamin D, telomere length and aging genes in Asian Indian adults with prediabetes
In a cross-sectional study of 290 Asian Indian adults with prediabetes, vitamin D correlated only modestly with leukocyte telomere length, and this weakened after adjustment; no association with telomerase activity was found, while an ACTN3 variant was linked to telomerase activity. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
Vitamin D showed a statistically significant but modest positive correlation with leukocyte telomere length (p = 0.03), which weakened after adjustment (p = 0.06). [1]
No significant association was found between vitamin D and telomerase activity (p = 0.26). [1]
The ACTN3 polymorphism was significantly associated with telomerase activity (adjusted B = 0.10, p = 0.03). [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Cross-sectional study (abstract).
- Population / context
- 290 Asian Indian adults with prediabetes, aged 20–60 years.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- March 24, 2026
Vitamin D and telomeres in prediabetes
The study asked how serum vitamin D relates to cellular aging markers in Asian Indians with prediabetes, a group the authors describe as underexplored. Vitamin D showed a statistically significant but modest positive correlation with leukocyte telomere length (p = 0.03). After adjustment for age, sex, BMI and fasting blood glucose, this association weakened (p = 0.06). The authors therefore describe the vitamin D link to telomere length as only modest.
Supporting source [1]
Telomerase activity and ACTN3 variant
No significant association was found between vitamin D and telomerase activity (p = 0.26). By contrast, the ACTN3 polymorphism was significantly associated with telomerase activity (adjusted B = 0.10, p = 0.03). The authors also report strong gene-gene interactions among SIRT1, MSTN, VDR and FOXO3A (r = 0.56–0.82). They conclude that a coordinated network of aging-related genes appears to influence cellular aging and metabolic risk more substantially than vitamin D in this group.
Supporting source [1]
Cross-sectional design limits causal reading
This was a cross-sectional study of 290 prediabetic subjects aged 20–60 years; anthropometry, biochemical markers, telomere length, telomerase activity and genotyping were assessed at one time point. Such a design can show associations but not whether vitamin D or the genes cause changes in telomere length or telomerase activity. The authors call their findings preliminary and suggest that longitudinal and interventional studies are needed; the abstract does not report follow-up or intervention results.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. This is a cross-sectional study of 290 Asian Indian adults with prediabetes, so it shows associations, not causes, and reports no follow-up or intervention outcomes. The authors call the findings preliminary.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Bhatt SP, Khurana A, Pandey S, Misra A. · europepmc.org · March 24, 2026